


Nerves

by WanderingTheRailroads



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Becoming A Parent, Childhood, Childhood Memories, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Future, Future Fic, Gen, Marriage, Married Life, Motherhood, Nervous, Post-Time Skip, Pregnant, Slice of Life, Social Anxiety, Wedding, anxiety never really leaves you, cute stuff, townsperson B, working life, yachi is still nervous
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-07
Updated: 2018-02-07
Packaged: 2019-03-14 14:55:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13592475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WanderingTheRailroads/pseuds/WanderingTheRailroads
Summary: As far back as she can remember, Yachi's always been a bundle of nerves.No matter who she becomes, no matter how far she's made it, that anxiety never truly goes away, like a lingering ghost whispering doubt into her ear. But in time, Yachi learns to silence this ghost, at least for brief moments.orYachi and Her Wonderful Anxiety Adventures





	1. Stage Play

**1) STAGE PLAY  
**

She's waiting in the wings of a stage beneath overly bright lights, heart running laps in her throat, threatening to spill out at any moment. The farmer costume feels tight and ill-fitting, constricting her already ragged breath. Her arm itches from the coarse fabric. Out there, Yachi can hear her classmates singing, dancing to the play's theme song that signals the end of Scene 1. Behind her, a rough-looking boy is impatiently tapping his foot, his arms crossed. She gulps her heart back down with a dry mouth.

 And now the curtain goes down. She's up next, praying for time to stop, praying that she won't have to go out there, that some benevolent deity will hear and save her.

No such luck.

The curtain rises once more on a scene of an idyllic village, seemingly devoid of villagers.

_Silence_

 Murmurs begin to arise from the audience, as the stage remains empty for far too long.

 

She's frozen, fearful.

Her mind wandering, Yachi barely notices as someone gives her a push and she stumbles, tumbling over herself onto the stage and making the audience laugh in delight.

 

The rest of the play continues without a hitch, and her teacher doesn't question the unscripted act, but at the tender age of 11, it's the end of the world for Yachi Hitoka, burning with embarrassment. She spends the rest of the day hiding in the toilet, away from questioning lips, till her mom comes to pick her up. Only years later can she bring herself to even speak about the 'Villager B' incident.

 

 

 

 


	2. Soaring on the Court

**2) SOARING ON THE COUR** T

 

'Baby birds yearn to leave their nests and fly'.

Yachi remembers the phrase from one of her biology textbooks, having read it cover to cover out of boredom. And now, seated on a bench amidst a sea of people, the phrase has never felt more apt. She's in her final year, when she really should be nervous about entrance exams and college fees, but that's not what worries her.

Instead, her mind is running a million scenarios, of failed blocks and missed spikes, of receives that go badly, of failing to account for an opponent's strategy, of ending her tenure as Karasuno's volleyball manager in disgrace. Oh God, what if she lets the team down? She's just a pretender, a faker that somehow became the manager for Miyagi's most accomplished volleyball team.

Back then, she had Kiyoko as a guide, and in her 2nd year Nishinoya and Tanaka were still around to provide support, but now she's the one taking charge, fumbling in the dark. It's almost too much to bear...

 

...but Yachi isn't alone. As she watches, her fellow 3rd-year peels himself away from the court and swaps out with an eager junior waiting to be fielded. He bounces on his heel, still full of energy after a grueling set, and grins at her as she holds out the sports drink for him.

 

"Oh, thanks! Hey Yacchan, how's it going?" Hinata gulps the entire bottle's contents in one go then turns to face her, his cheeks flushed with sweat.

"Um...I should be asking you that. That receive looked painful. Your face..."

"Oh come on, it's just a small bruise. I've seen Kageyama hit harder."

 

A murderous aura emanates from the court.

 

"Besides, you were looking kinda down!" Hinata claps his hands together, and as he brings them apart, rests one on her shoulder. Now it's her turn to blush.

"I'm...I'm fine.It's just that...I'm not that great as a manager, or talented, or anything like that. Will I really be alright doing this solo?" Yachi twirls her hair nervously.

 

He grins again, bright as the sun.

 

"You're not doing it alone, silly. Besides, you've kept us steady all this while, haven't you?"

"H-huh?" Yachi's brain nearly short-circuits at the unexpected question.

"I mean, I can't think of anyone else who can keep the 1st years in line, or design really COOL posters, or raise lots of funds, or convince the teachers, or teach me English..." Yachi begins to giggle at Hinata's sudden outburst of praise, accompanied by gestures that make him look like a stage magician.

"I guess you're right, Hinata-kun. Thank you." Hinata flashes a confident smile and holds up a peace sign. "No problem. I always am. Especially when it comes to arguments with Kageyama."

 

The murderous aura intensifies.

 

"Oi, Hinata, you're up again! Hurry up, idiot!"

"Gotta go!" He tosses the empty bottle back to Yachi, and she watches as Hinata struts back onto the battlefield. He turns back to give a thumbs up to her, which she returns in kind.

_I wonder when I began flying unsteadily, without noticing it._

 


	3. On The Job

**3) ON THE JOB  
**

Working life is scary. Here's a workplace survival tip: Keep your head down, don't be too good or too bad at your job, don't stand out too much.

Somehow, despite her best efforts to remain small and inconspicuous Yachi managed to break that one simple rule. That's it. Game over. Oh well, at least she had a good one year in the company.

It's barely past her lunch break, and already there are various colleagues of hers crowding round her cubicle, no thanks to the stray volleyball club poster that she forgot to leave at home, instead of tucking it in her file. Like a soldier in the trenches, she's being bombarded with remarks from all sides, too overwhelmed to answer except in her mind.

"You were the manager of Karasuno's volleyball team?! I never knew..." _Yup. I wasn't a very good one though._

"Oh wow. I saw all your games. I loved the way that libero saved the ball." _Noya-san was really cool. I wonder what he's up to these days..._

"I love your posters. My cousin donated a huge sum of money after seeing them." _WOW! THANK YOU SO MUCH!_

"How's that short player doing...what was his name again? You're his best friend, right?" _Hinata Shouyou...we're...it's complicated._

 

 _At least they aren't all huge, scary guys,_ Yachi thinks to herself nostalgically, smiling all the while. _I'm still not good with crowds though..._

 

At that moment, her boss passes by and shoots a withering glare in their direction. Immediately, silence descends, and they all disperse quietly.

Fortunately for Yachi, she's spared any further awkward moments.  Still, that lingering glare remains in her mind. It wasn't exactly angry, but...wistful? Her boss pretty much ignores her unless necessary, and is a typical Japanese businessman, so Yachi has never dared to broach the subject with him.

 

Until a few days later, when she's called into his office.

As Yachi takes a seat in front of him, her mind is going into overdrive.

 

_Did I cause trouble?_

_What if he's angry with me?  
_

_Did I do a bad job on the latest campaign?_

_Am i gonna end up fired and homeless?_

_Will I have to sell my organs?_

 

"...great job. Are you alright?"

At the sound of her boss tapping his finger on the desk, Yachi snaps out of her daze, almost falling out of the chair.

"I, uh, oh, SORRY! I'M SO SORRY FOR CAUSING TROUBLE!"

"Calm down, Yachi-san, I ain't gonna eat ya. You've been a model employee after all. Team leadership skills, graphic design aptitude...ya have it all." Her boss chuckles at Yachi's flustered expression, leaning back in his chair as he flips through the sheets of paper in his hand.

"T-thanks," Yachi stammers, blushing lightly. "I've had various people help me out along the way."

"The volleyball club, right? Good place to learn those skills, I'd say. Builds character."

"Um...excuse my rudeness, sir, but were you a player?" Yachi speaks up,softly.

"Me? Haha, nah. But my son's on a junior high team. It's really helped him. He was a problem child, ya know."

"That's great to hear!"

"Aye, it is. Anyway, let's skip the chit-chat. I've got a project for ya, if you're up for it. I dont wanna pressure ya, just feel it could be good for ya career advancement, eh?"

 

\--

 

Yachi: [So thts wht happened. not sure if I shld take the offer.]

Yachi's lying flat on her apartment bed, phone in hand as she texts the boys. Well,some of them at least. Most of her former seniors don't have much time these days, between their own careers and personal lives, so it's those in her year that she turns to even after all this time, selfishly knowing they'll make time for her no matter what.

Yama: [omg, sounds scary. Good to know you're alive!]

Hina: [Yachi, you're awesome! I bet you were all like 'BAM'! (´∀｀)]

Kei: [Hinata, are u an alien? ]

Kage: [Hmph. You can do better, Yachi.]

Hina: [oi Kageyama, she's already trying her best. and wht did u mean by tht Tsuki?! щ(`Д´щ;)]

Kage: [shut up,idiot hinata. anyway, think u shld take d project. no hesitation.]

Kei: [guess I gotta agree with Kageyama on tht. but be careful.]

Hina: [dnt worry Yacchan, you can do it. u managed 2 lead us 2 win nationals after all! ☆*: .｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆]

Yachi: [thx 4 d encouragement guys. But I'm still feelin nervous.i'm not some amazin girl or anythin]

Yama: [i know how u feel. I was like tht too, afraid of stepping onto court. ]

Hina: [ya, n in d end Yams was like SUPER COOL! u can be cool too Yacchan...]

Yachi: [♒((⇀‸↼))♒ will hv to think further. but thx 4 support guys. gudnite!]

 

Tossing her phone to one side, the adult Yachi Hitoka sighs deeply, still feeling like an insecure teenager on the inside. The ghost of her anxiety has never truly left. She closes her eyes, and through the haze of impending sleep, the message tone echoes.

 

_ding_

 

When Yachi wakes the next day, a single message is waiting in her inbox, a message that makes her smile at its earnestness.

Yama: [i'm nt vry good @ encouragement, but...good luck! i'll be rootin for u! I know u can do it, you're awesome! ٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶] 


	4. Matrimony

**4) MATRIMONY**

"Calm down, Hitoka-chan," Kiyoko admonishes, fiddling with Yachi's shoulder-length hair and gathering the loose ends. "It'll go fine."

Yachi is a one-woman power generator, fueled on nothing but anxiety as she runs her mouth, fidgeting all the while. "But...but... it's a big day, and what if something goes wrong...and I forget the words...and will I be a good enough wife...? Also, I feel bad for making you take time off..."

"If anything, he's the one who admires YOU. He wouldn't have proposed otherwise, right? Don't worry about it, I needed to use up some of my leave anyway."

"I don't know..." Yachi's mind is screaming at her to run away, to call it off, but no, that would be a terrible thing to do.

\----

New Year's Eve. A time to put away the old, and bring out the new. In theory, at least. It doesn't _feel_ very different for her though, with all her baggage and anxieties still wound tight like a ball and chain round her legs.

She's trudging up worn stone steps, surrounded by throngs of people on their way to the local shrine. Yachi isn't superstitious or anything, but it's a fun tradition to carry out anyway, visiting the shrine and counting down the New Year with friends and loved ones. And who knows, maybe she'll get some good luck along the way.

Reaching the top after what seems like forever, she stops for a moment to catch her breath before checking her cellphone.

Already, there's an unread message from Hinata, even though he left the house later than her. Must have ran all the way, like he usually does.

Hina: [u here yet babe?]

It still feels weird for him to call her that, even though they've been dating for a couple of years now, spending time together whenever their busy schedules intersect, especially now that he's working part-time alongside his regular tournament circuit. Sometimes she yearns for their high school days, when everything was so much simpler, but time doesn't stop for anyone, Yachi ponders to herself, as light snow falls around her.

We all change and move forward, bit by bit.

Yachi: [yup, I'm here. whr r u?]

Hina: [Right behind u]

Immediately, she feels a pair of hands clamp over her eyes.

"Guess who."

"Kageyama? No,wait, you're too short," she teases, eliciting a complaint from her boyfriend. "Oh come on! That's mean, Yacchan." He draws his hands back, and she turns around to face him, grinning triumphantly. Hinata's face is slightly flushed from the cold, his sparse facial hair -which he's tried growing out, it doesn't work- making him look somewhat sketchy. He hasn't grown much taller in the intervening years since their graduation, but that doesn't mean much to her, since she's tiny herself.

And of course, that orange hair of his is still a messy mop. Not even she could get him to change his hairstyle.

 

"Where are the rest, Shou-chan?" Yachi prods his side as they walk hand-in-hand. Ahead of them, a huge crowd has already gathered round the shrine.

"Eh, they're on the way. Yams and Tsukki might be late,they got stuck inside a snowed-in restaurant. Kageyama's down with the flu. Kiyoko-senpai is busy with work, and the rest are arriving in half an hour or so."

"Oh. I guess it's just us two for now."

"Yup! At least I get to spend more time with you!" Hinata exclaims. He pumps his fist in the air and nearly punches an elderly granny walking past. The old lady glares at him and clucks disapprovingly, blending back into the crowd soon after.

Yachi can only shake her head and laugh at his antics.

Without realizing it, they're reached the front of the line. Hinata digs in his pants pocket for coins, but finds none, causing some people behind to grumble, and Yachi to fret about their grumbling.

 

_I'd better give him some coins. They're all angry with us..._

Before she can make a move though, he finally manages to fish out some loose change, along with a velvet-covered box, which he hastily stuffs back in his coat.

\---

 "So whatcha got, Yacchan?" Hinata enquires, leaning across the bench to peek at her omikuji. Yachi tries to hide it from him, but to no avail. "Small blessing. I guess an average girl like me doesn't need anything great."

"Hah. Well that's cuz you already have me, right? I AM your blessing!" he boasts, grinning warmly and causing her face to turn bright red.

"What did you get, Shou-chan?"

He peers at his own fortune slip, and all of a sudden Hinata shrinks even smaller than he already is, resembling a hunched-over gremlin with orange hair. "....great curse. I won't accept this. I'll defy fate! The gods wont deny me the championship..."

"Now, now. The fortunes aren't absolutes, they're just-"

A gust of cold air blows past her, and Yachi lets out a sneeze. "Excuse me."

Immediately, Hinata's taking off his coat to drape over her shoulders. She protests halfheartedly, but Hinata with his one-track mind won't be easily swayed, so Yachi surrenders to his kindness and wraps the coat around herself.

_It smells like him._

_"_ T-thanks."

They fall into a comfortably awkward silence, side by side, watching the crowds go past. Parents chasing their unruly children, old couples in love, young men laughing and cracking jokes, young women gossiping...

 

After a long while, she speaks up, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Hey, Shou-chan."

"Hmm?"

"I wish we could stay like this forever."

"What, you mean out in the cold?" Hinata asks innocently.Yachi frowns at his remark.

"No, silly. I mean just the two of us, side by side in this present moment."

"Oh! Um...actually, I don't think I'd like that."

She freezes.

_What?_

_Is he tired of me? Am i getting dumped?  
_

_No. Yachi Hitoka, stop overthinking things. He loves you, you know that._

_But...I'm not..._

 

She's on the verge of uncertain tears when he continues, breathlessly.

 "Sorry, that came out wrong. Uh, I mean, I love spending time with you and holding hands and having you cheer us on at tournaments and traveling to faraway places and the smell of your perfume and soft hands but I don't want it to just stay this way and be the same forever stagnant."

Now it's her turn to be concerned about him. His cheeks are burning hot, and he's staring at her in an odd way, his fists balled up tightly.

"A-are you okay?"

"No! I mean, yes! I mean," Hinata shouts loud enough to startle a few nearby kids, whose mothers hastily pull them away. "I want us to be more than this,Yacchan."

The way he says her name gives her a tingling sensation in the pit of her stomach. It's anxiety and anticipation, yes, but the good kind; like waking up on Christmas morning to a huge pile of presents, or receiving an award, or the scent of food after a long and tiring training session.

"What I'm saying is...marry me, Yachi." Hinata asks, going down on one knee.

Suddenly, it's as though the world just faded away around her.

A few of the teenagers loitering around begin cheering and clapping upon hearing Hinata's proposal, with Yachi stunned into silence all the while. In a practiced motion, he reaches into his pocket...

...and finds nothing, panicking after a few seconds of feeling empty air.

 

Yachi, broken out of her stupor, realizes what's going on and quickly retrieves the ring-box from Hinata's jacket.

"Were you looking for this?"

"Oh wow! You saved me, Yacchan!" He sighs in relief, grinning sheepishly at his blunder.

"Er...haha, nah, you just forgot it was in your jacket instead of pants. But still, I never expected you to do it here, of all places."

Now she's crying again, but with happiness replacing uncertainty.

"Yes, I will."

The rest of the Karasuno gang arrives shortly after to find a crying Yachi (with a ring on her finger) and beaming Hinata (who's also crying a bit) seated on a bench, side by side and hugging each other as though their lives depended on it. Kinda obvious what happened, really.

 ---

She's standing there radiant and serene in white, with their friends and family cheering them on, but inside her a storm is raging, threatening to blow her off course...until the sun appears to part her clouds.

There he stands, beaming with joy, beckoning her to his side. Now she is standing before him, peering through her veil at the blinding radiance that captivated her all those years ago. In his eyes are the stars.

 

"Will you take him to be your lawful wedded husband?" the priest asks.

"I do." she exclaims loudly, then mutters under her breath "I think so, if you'll receive me, I know I'm not that great or anything, but please..."

 

"And will you take her to be your lawful wedded wife?"

"Of course!" Hinata exclaims. The priest glares at him in a very Kageyama-like manner. "Um, I mean, I do, yes."

"You may now kiss the bride."

And the crowd erupts into cheers and shouts of joy.

\---

Extra/bonus paragraph (it feels kinda out of place tbh):

In the crowd, Nishinoya and Asahi are crying happily, clapping louder than everyone else and acting like proud fathers. Somehow, Sugawara got dragged into the hug circle, while Daichi just chuckles at their antics.  
  
Saeko's bouncing her kid on her knee as Akiteru looks on protectively, with Uncle Kei reluctantly humoring his nephew with a soft toy, while Uncle Tanaka makes silly faces.  
  
Even Kiyoko isn't immune to the atmosphere, wiping away tears from the corners of her eyes.

Kageyama just stares at Hinata, as though saying "Treat her well, idiot, or I'll kick your ass."

Yamaguchi is giving them a thumbs up and snapping loads of photos.

Coach Keishin doesn't really like attending weddings, but somehow Takeda-sensei (who's been getting some wrinkles recently) managed to drag him along, and he's standing at the back of the church sucking a lollipop (NO Smoking Allowed!) and trying to hide his tears.

Ennoshita's seated beside the new players who joined in Yachi's 2nd and 3rd year, whose names he can barely remember (Tatsuya? Akihito? Shirou?). They're chatting amongst themselves, oblivious to his ugly crying.

Mrs Madoka is seated between Hinata Natsu and Mrs Hinata, the 3 of them making bets on when Shouyou and Yachi are gonna have kids.


	5. 1+1 = 3

6) 1+1 = 3

In volleyball, serves and spikes can come from unexpected angles. The same holds true of life and its curveballs.

It's 2am Friday morning, and Hitoka Yachi bolts awake from fitful sleep in a cold sweat, feeling terribly unwell. She's had lots of experience with stuff like this in the past; nightmares and bad dreams aren't anything new to her. But this is different. This time, the churning in her gut isn't from anxiety.

Sliding out of bed gently to not wake her husband, Yachi stumbles over to the bathroom, almost running, and promptly hurls the remnants of last night's dinner into the toilet bowl. Then she does it again.

And again.

And again, until her body feels hollowed out and weak.

 

For God knows how long, she remains bent over the porcelain toilet, her legs like jelly and hair splayed all over.

"Hey. You alright?" comes Hinata's voice from above her. _I guess I woke him after all. Poor guy._

She can only groan in reply as he lowers himself to the floor beside Yachi, rubbing her back gently and holding her long blonde hair behind her. Strange how he's so unsubtle in many ways, but can still pull off something like this, she muses to herself weakly.

"I'll let your boss know you're taking leave today."

"But..."

"No 'buts' darling. You've gotta see a doctor. Might be a pretty bad virus. Like, bam!"

"Um, actually, I think it might be something else." She's had that nagging thought at the back of her mind, but hasn't entertained it...until now. "I haven't gotten my period recently."

Hinata shoots her a confused look. Yeah, in a way he's still the rather dense first-year student she fell in love with, after all these years.

"What I'm saying is...I might be pregnant."

His mouth forms the word 'pregnant' but no sound comes out. Then all at once, he slumps over and faints in shock.

\--

Hinata comes to on the couch, his head still lightly sore from bumping the wall as he fell over. Yachi is seated beside him, wringing her hands nervously.

"Are you alright?" Hinata ignores her question and launches into his own chain of words. "Yacchan, I just had the weirdest dream! You were vomiting in the toilet, and when I went to comfort you-"

"It...wasn't." Yachi answers weakly. It might as well be a dream, given how unprepared she is for all this. They've got bills to pay, and a major tournament coming up. Hinata can't afford to lose his focus now.

"Huh?"

"It wasn't a dream."

He goes uncharacteristically quiet as the gears click in his mind.

"Oh. So..."

"We should probably go see a doctor."

And they do.

Diagnosis: pregnant.

Thus marks the beginning of Yachi's worries about motherhood.

\---

**Month 2:**

"Grats, girl." exclaims the gruff-sounding lady's voice on the other side of the phone. "You'll make a good mum. Better than me, at least."

"Thanks, Saeko-san. Don't say that, you're a great mum!"

"Haha nah, Aki says I spoil Takashi too much. Says he doesn't want him to end up like Ryuu. I mean come on, my baby bro's a sweet guy! Okay, well, he can be a ruffian sometimes, but still."

They both share a hearty laugh.

"But yeah, motherhood? It ain't easy. I already had experience from taking care of Ryuu, but it's something totally new for ya, innit?"

In the background, a baby begins to wail.

"Aki, could ya take care of that?? I'm in a counselling session! Wha-? Oh, fine, I'm comin'. Sorry 'bout that Hitoka-chan, be back in a min." Yachi hears muffled footsteps on Saeko's end of the line, and a man's deep, soothing voice singing a lullaby of sorts, intermingled with Saeko's own rough tone.

Feeling bad about interrupting Saeko's family affairs, she decides to hang up instead of waiting. At least she can count on Saeko to provide good advice, Yachi muses.

 

**Month 4:**

_Ugh, I'm getting fat,_ she whines internally, pinching her waist as she tries on a pair of jeans, her slightly protruding belly preventing the buckle from fully closing. Even her chest has grown recently.

She knows she's being irrational - _you're pregnant, for goodness sake, it's normal-_ , but the blonde girl can't help but worry. Is she eating enough? Too little? Too much? Will the baby be alright? Annoyed, she tosses the pair of jeans onto the bed and reaches for a looser-fitting dress. Holding up the dress in front of her, Yachi frowns into the mirror.

At that exact moment, when she's bottomless and standing in front of the mirror with a sour expression, Hinata walks in.

"Babe. What's the matter?"

Yachi doesn't mean to be selfish, to dump the entire burden on Hinata's broad back, but...she just can't help it. The words come tumbling out like a waterfall and he catches them all, not letting a single drop spill.

 

"I'm getting fat." "No, you're carrying our baby, and you're beautiful all the same."

"I'm moody." "It's alright. Kageyama was worse."

"I'm really, really worried." "I'm here for you."

"I'm not sure that I'll be a good mum." "You already are, Yacchan."

"I don't wanna drag you down." "Haha! Don't worry babe, I'll be the best father and volleyball player you've ever seen!"

 

Hinata takes all her complaints, her unsent letters and hidden miseries, and delivers one final assurance in return, his hands caressing her barely-there baby bump:

"We'll get through this together. I promise."

 

 If it's a boy, they've discussed, they're naming him Kentaro, and if it's a girl, Kyouka.

 

**Month 6:**

The months fly by, and now she's clearly, visibly having a baby. Her figure wrapped in a billowing white sundress, Yachi decides to brave the outside world and go shopping. She can't always rely on Hinata, after all, and he won't be back for another two days or so.

Just as luck would have it, she runs into Daichi while browsing through groceries. Alongside him is a short-haired girl who looks oddly familiar, and it takes a few seconds for Yachi's brain to connect the dots and remember Yui, her high school senior and the women's team captain. Also: Daichi's on and off girlfriend.

"Yachi!" Daichi pulls her into a hug, being extra careful around his friend's newly delicate form. He hasn't seen her since her wedding a year ago, so a reunion is always something joyous. Her pregnancy isn't a surprise of course, since Hinata excitedly told EVERYONE about it. Typical.

"How've you been?" he asks, ever the concerned captain. Yachi laughs and simply replies, "Tired out", her eyebags a testament to that remark.

"Hmm. That's normal. You need lots of rest, and proper nutrition."

Daichi's phone rings, and he steps aside for a moment to answer. In that moment, Yui lowers herself to the level of Yachi's rounded belly and begins fawning over the child inside.

 

"Do you know the gender yet?"

"Yup, it's a girl. Her name is Kyouka."

"Wow,congrats! Hey there Kyouka. When you grow up, become a volleyball player like me alright?" She jokes, running a hand over Yachi's midsection. "Just kidding." The baby kicks in response, startling Yachi.

"I guess she likes you, Yui-senpai." Yui giggles, an infectious high-pitched laugh that can brighten up even Kei's day. "Oh, there's no need to call me senpai, we're not in school anymore."

 

Having ended the call, Daichi returns and lays a hand on both their shoulders. "Hey Yui, we've gotta go. My mum's waiting for us. Sorry to interrupt the conversation, Yachi."

Yachi shakes her head. "No,it's alright. It was nice meeting you again. See you around, guys."

Before sauntering off after Daichi, Yui turns back to her junior and waves, calling out "If you ever need help, just let us know, alright?"

Yachi can't help but smile, despite the self-doubt still gnawing at her.

 

**Month 8:**

This is it, the final stretch. One last mile to run. Or one last set, to use volleyball as a reference.

 

Speaking of volleyball...

Hinata Kyouka is definitely a daddy's girl. Maybe she took Yui's words to heart.

 

Sometimes Yachi feels like her daughter's playing an entire tournament inside her womb, rolling around and punching and catching some invisible ball, constantly pressed up against Yachi's bladder and ribs. It's not an unwelcome sensation, though, knowing that her baby is alive and well.

If she could, she'd stay on the couch forever and enjoy a long bonding session with Kyouka, but dinner won't cook itself, so up she goes.

Lifting herself from the couch, Yachi supports her weight with one hand on the armrest, only moving forward once she's certain of being steady on her feet. She waddles towards the kitchen cautiously, slowly, Kyouka nestled snug within her oversized belly. After what seems like an eternity, Yachi manages to reach her destination and begins preparing the ingredients, careful not to bump her belly against anything. It takes longer than usual, but eventually a stew is boiling in the pot. Satisfied, she sits down to rest at the kitchen table, and closes her eyes for a brief moment.

 

When she awakens, a burnt smell is wafting through the air and Hinata is standing by the stove, looking concerned. He wags a finger at her admonishingly.

 

"Whoa! Yacchan, you shouldn't be cooking in this state! What if you hurt yourself..."

Unfortunately for Hinata, Yachi isn't in the mood for playful banter. She raises her voice, almost shouting at him through tears.

"Look, I'm just...tired of being so helpless, okay? It's killing me! I can't make you order takeaway all the time! You don't even-"

She's silenced by Hinata leaning downwards to plant a kiss on her cheek."I'm sorry. I'm just worried" he says, running a finger through her hair.

"Y-yeah. Me too." she can only stutter in reply.

 

 

**Month 9:**

A whale stranded on the beach. That's what she is. She can barely move around anymore, opting to spend most of her time on the bed or at her home office desk, having begun maternity leave 2 weeks ago.

Any time now, Kyouka will make her entrance into this world. Yachi cringes at the thought of labour and the way Saeko described it ("like your insides are being pulled out."), but at the same time longs to hold Kyouka in her arms.

_It's already a week past my due date._

Lying on the bed, Yachi twirls her hair gingerly as Hinata nuzzles her nape from behind, strong arms encircling her gravid form that's ready to burst. He runs his hands over the expanse of her flesh, exploring it like an adventurer on a quest to a new world, making her shiver with delight as little moans escape her throat.

 _Any time now,_ the doctor says, but it certainly doesn't feel that way.

_What if something goes wrong?_

_What if I'm overdue even longer?_

Her mind continues to rattle off worrisome scenarios, but all are washed away and forgotten in the tide of ecstasy that's sweeping over her as Hinata caresses her body. Her energy spent by this arousal, Yachi falls into a blissful sleep.

She needn't have worried, though, because in the end it comes full circle.

Yachi is jolted awake by a sharp cramp in her abdomen, beads of sweat rolling down her face. For a moment, it seems to be a fluke, a false alarm, but then another cramp rips through her, stronger than before, and she knows.

"Hey, Shou-chan. I think it's time."

\--

 _All the blood, all the pain and anxiety and discomfort, it's all worth it_ , she thinks to herself as she holds little Hinata Kyouka in her arms.

 

There will be new anxieties, new fears and worries in the future, but Yachi's ready. Come what may, she'll fight. And she isn't alone.

 

 

 

 


End file.
